Energy efficiency measures save Watervliet $146K

WATERVLIET >> As a result of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures, the City of Watervliet has reduced costs by $146,000 over a one-year period, according to an annual energy savings evaluation report.

The evaluation, conducted by Honeywell, show’s the city’s conservation measures between June of 2011 and May of 2012 contributed to the savings.

“It’s great to see the outcome of the work put in to make our city’s municipal operations run more efficiently,” said Mayor Mike Manning. “After seeing the impact current energy efficiency upgrades have made, this report provides a roadmap to continue work towards environmental sustainability and energy independence.”

According to a press release, Watervliet has aggressively worked to improve its renewable and green programs over the past several years. The projects include: Energy efficiency measures at the city-owned 1.25 megawatt hydroelectric facility pump house in Guilderland; solar installations at the Thomas McCormack Fire Station, Watervliet Senior Center and pavilion at the Hudson Shores Park Boathouse; and new energy efficient lighting and multiple energy conservation measures implemented in municipal buildings.

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The city’s hydro plant is a key element of the efforts to control water use as well as energy use, according to the press release. The plant provides power to the city’s municipal water pumping station, which pumps water from the Watervliet reservoir in Guilderland for processing. According to the report, efforts taken at the pump house alone reduced costs by $17,000 during the measured period.

The city is now working on a new project to allow remote net-metering so it can sell excess electricity from the municipal water pumping station on the wholesale market. The hydro plant already receives roughly $300,000 a year from the sale of excess electricity.

The city’s PV, lighting and pump house motor projects were supported by $575,000 in federal stimulus funds and state funding through NYSERDA.

The PV systems reduce the need for electricity from the grid by 100,000 kilowatt hours (KWh) annually. As a result, they are expected to avoid carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 77,000 pounds over the next 25 years, which is equivalent to planting 21,224 trees and reducing gasoline consumption by 3,988 gallons per year.

The lighting retrofits and other efficiency projects resulted in more than 400,000 KWh of annual energy savings, equivalent to the electricity used by more than 45 houses each year. The city’s investment into solar resulted in more than 100,000 kWh of energy savings alone, between the three buildings lighting was retrofitted in several municipal buildings, including City Hall, the senior center, fire station, dome and DPW garage, which resulted in more than 300,000 kWh of energy savings.

The evaluation details the amount of electricity saved due to the municipal building’s energy efficiency improvements, but does not project future annual cost savings, as different variables may affect energy usage in the future.

Watervliet is conducting other environmentally friendly initiatives as well. City landfill waste is currently down 33 percent and recyclables are up 300 percent. Contributing to the successful decrease in landfill waste is the Watervliet Organic Waste Program, which was launched city-wide in 2012 after a successful six month pilot period.